Development XV loses to Crusaders in Game 1 of Round Robin

Crusaders scored two tries in the final six minutes of the game to top Irish Canadians 17-7 in the first game of the second team playoffs.

Cru were up 7-0 with the wind on a cool fall day at Fletchers, but Irish battled back to tie the game with nine minutes, Raf Kaczmarek's tricky touchline conversion evening the match.

With Irish on the Cru line, the Oakville side stole a scrum and set the winger free to score from 80 meters for the winning try. Cru added one in injury time.

The Irish will travel to Beach on October in a must win game in the round robin pool. Cru started Guy Vorster, Kristian Evans and Andrew Hosie in the second team match, all of whom started for their firsts on September 11 against the Irish. The greens did not have a first team starter in their second team line-up.

The Marshall Division champion first team will host York on October 16, with the Yeomen hammering Saracens 33-5 in their first round match.  York and the Irish split the season series, York winning at home on May 16 by 22-18 and the Irish winning at Fletchers on August 21 by 52-3.  "We know it will be a very tough game,' said Irish coach Mark Winokur "and that all the buzz is that this is York's year to win the Cup.  I think our guys will be pretty motivated knowing how little respect people have for our season, so it should be a real battle."

The John Dixon Memorial touch tourney goes this Thursday, with a first xv run at the end of the session.